Grounding rod for sacrificial appendage

Abstract

A grounding rod for a sacrificial appendage of an electrical cable connector, such as a splicing connector for joining two or more electrical cables, is provided. The sacrificial appendage is comprised of a feature for enabling personnel to ensure that the connector is de-energized, and once this is confirmed, the sacrificial appendage may be removed and replaced with a ground rod to which a grounding device can be connected to ground the system.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. An electrical connector, comprising:
 a yoke, which is comprised of an outer housing, a sacrificial appendage configured to be cut through in order to confirm that the electrical connector is de-energized and a central conductor provided within the outer housing; 
 wherein the cut-through sacrificial appendage can be removed and replaced by a ground rod which is releasably retained within the yoke and allows for the electrical connector to be grounded when connected to system ground by the ground rod; and 
 wherein the ground rod can be removed and replaced with a new, intact sacrificial appendage which is releasably retained within the yoke and which is mechanically and conductively connected to the central conductor of the electrical connector. 
 
     
     
       2. The electrical connector of  claim 1 , wherein the yoke comprises a two-way yoke, a three-way yoke, or a four-way yoke. 
     
     
       3. The electrical connector of  claim 1 , wherein the ground rod further comprises a rounded ball end on an outwardly extending portion of the ground rod which extends from the outer housing of the yoke for attachment to a ball type grounding clamp. 
     
     
       4. The electrical connector of  claim 1 , wherein the ground rod further comprises a middle elongate portion of the ground rod for attachment to a bar type grounding clamp. 
     
     
       5. The electrical connector of  claim 1 , wherein the central conductor comprises at least three outwardly extending portions which are comprised of a first outwardly extending portion and a second outwardly extending portion of the central conductor which are operatively coupled to first and second power cables, respectively, and a third outwardly extending portion of the central conductor which is comprised of the sacrificial appendage. 
     
     
       6. The electrical connector of  claim 5 , wherein the sacrificial appendage comprises a sacrificial cap, and wherein the yoke is configured to releasably retain the sacrificial cap in conductive contact with the third outwardly extending portion. 
     
     
       7. The electrical connector of  claim 6 , wherein the third outwardly extending portion further comprises a sacrificial interface conductively coupled to the third outwardly extending portion, and wherein the sacrificial interface is configured to releasably receive the sacrificial cap thereon. 
     
     
       8. The electrical connector of  claim 7 , wherein the sacrificial cap further comprises an insulative inner housing and a sacrificial conductor extending axially within the housing, and wherein the housing includes a cut-through region overlying the sacrificial conductor, and wherein the sacrificial conductor, and the sacrificial cap within which it is housed, is configured for releasable attachment to the sacrificial interface. 
     
     
       9. The electrical connector of  claim 5 , further comprising a first cable receptacle for providing an interface between the first outwardly extending portion and the first power cable, and a second cable receptacle for providing an interface between the second outwardly extending portion and the second power cable, wherein the first and second cable receptacles are configured for engagement with the outer housing of the yoke. 
     
     
       10. The electrical connector of  claim 5 , wherein each of the first outwardly extending portion and the second outwardly extending portion further comprise a spade portion for connecting to the first and second power cables, respectively. 
     
     
       11. The electrical connector of  claim 10 , further comprising first and second crimp connectors coupled to the first and second power cables, respectively, and wherein the first and second crimp connectors are configured for securing to the spade portions of the first and second outwardly extending portions, respectively. 
     
     
       12. An electrical connector, comprising:
 a yoke, which is comprised of an outer housing and a central conductor provided within the outer housing, wherein the central conductor comprises at least three outwardly extending portions; 
 a first outwardly extending portion and a second outwardly extending portion of the central conductor which are operatively coupled to first and second power cables, respectively; 
 a third outwardly extending portion of the central conductor comprised of a sacrificial appendage configured to be cut through in order to confirm that the electrical connector is de-energized; 
 wherein the sacrificial appendage is comprised of a sacrificial cap, and wherein the yoke is configured to releasably retain the sacrificial cap in conductive contact with the third outwardly extending portion; 
 wherein the cut-through sacrificial cap of the sacrificial appendage can be removed and replaced by a ground rod which is releasably retained within the third outwardly extending portion of the central conductor and allows for the electrical connector to be grounded when a grounding device that is connected to system ground is attached to the ground rod; and 
 wherein the ground rod can be removed and replaced with a new, intact sacrificial cap which is releasably retained within the third outwardly extending portion of the central conductor and which is mechanically and conductively connected to the central conductor of the electrical connector. 
 
     
     
       13. The electrical connector of  claim 12 , wherein the yoke comprises a two-way yoke, a three-way yoke, or a four-way yoke. 
     
     
       14. The electrical connector of  claim 12 , wherein each of the first outwardly extending portion and the second outwardly extending portion further comprise a spade portion for connecting to the first and second power cables, respectively. 
     
     
       15. The electrical connector of  claim 14 , further comprising first and second crimp connectors coupled to the first and second power cables, respectively, and wherein the first and second crimp connectors are configured for securing to the spade portions of the first and second outwardly extending portions, respectively. 
     
     
       16. The electrical connector of  claim 12 , further comprising a first cable receptacle for providing an interface between the first outwardly extending portion and the first power cable, and a second cable receptacle for providing an interface between the second outwardly extending portion and the second power cable, wherein the first and second cable receptacles are configured for engagement with the outer housing of the yoke. 
     
     
       17. The electrical connector of  claim 12 , wherein the ground rod further comprises a rounded ball end on an outwardly extending portion of the ground rod which extends from the outer housing of the yoke for attachment to a ball type grounding clamp. 
     
     
       18. The electrical connector of  claim 12 , wherein the grounding device used for attachment to the ground rod is a bar type grounding clamp which connects to a middle elongate portion of the ground rod. 
     
     
       19. The electrical connector of  claim 12 , wherein the third outwardly extending portion further comprises a sacrificial interface conductively coupled to the third outwardly extending portion, and wherein the sacrificial interface is configured to releasably receive the sacrificial cap thereon. 
     
     
       20. The electrical connector of  claim 19 , wherein the sacrificial cap further comprises an insulative inner housing and a sacrificial conductor extending axially within the housing, and wherein the housing includes a cut-through region overlying the sacrificial conductor, and wherein the sacrificial conductor, and the sacrificial cap within which it is housed, is configured for releasable attachment to the sacrificial interface.